3 Days to Pentecost

Drawing near to the time of the promise

If there was anytime that anticipation was at it’s highest is now. The Apsotles waited and knew that Jesus promise of the gift was about to unfold, just like us, when we seek to understand what God has for us and have to wait with patience, this teaches us that everything is done in God’s time, not ours.

So what do they do in their days of waiting?

Pray

What do we do in our days of waiting?

Pray

We carry on our lives as best we can, when we have anxiety over things we can’t control, we aren’t trusting in the Lord. The Apostles knew this and as anxious as they may have been at times, they knew His word was Truth. Just as they waited, we will wait for the Lord to act, be ready for what He will do next, you never know what God is going to do!

Shalom

Nancy

The Christian Writer

When the Lord Comes Into Your Life

The most misunderstood phrase people hear is: Born Again

Some may think it is 

a crazy Christian wrapped too tight in Jesus.

Or

They are going to try to convert me 

Or even still, 

Someone who is feeling guilty about the things they have done.

Well I’m going to tell you all of the above is true!

When Jesus comes into your life , you are no longer your former self you are a new creation in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 4:22 

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

Something amazing happens:

You begin to desire to know more about Jesus and what He did for you, you begin to read your Bible and at first it makes no sense, but as the Holy Spirit is working in you- the words begin to take shape and now you are seeing the world in a new way. You pray more -something great has opened your mind and grabbed hold of your heart. You don’t want to do the things you used to do or say the things you used to say, Christ is now in command of your soul and shaping you to be more like Him.

But that doesn’t mean you won’t trip up a lot! You will- but you now know through repenting and not following that former life you can live freely without worrying about the consequences of the world, now you know God is the one who you answer to, it is He who is your judge. 

Acts 5:29

Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!

The world will never understand you so be ready for a lot of push back from skeptics, you won’t be the life of the party as you once were, but fully aware of your standing in the promises of God no matter what people say about you. 

When you share your testimony of how God has changed your life there will be people that aren’t going to like it. They may avoid you, try to change the subject or just plain think you are a crazy Christian. 

2 Corinthians 12:10

 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Sharing Christ is part of our walk of faith, if you had not shared what Jesus has done for all on that cross, then how will that person know there is a way of escape from eternal death. Asking Jesus into your life was the best decision you could have ever made.

Everything that you once have done and felt guilt for has been forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ. The weight of sin in heavy, but when you come to Christ He is the way to forgiveness of sins. So it is true when you ask for forgiveness of sins and asking Him into your life, then it it done! No going back and reliving what you did- He has forgiven that through His shed blood on the cross we are forgiven!

Now if you are not Born Again into a new creation, new life in Christ, then brothers and sisters it’s not too late to have the most incredible freeing experience that you could ever know. But that doesn’t mean you are free of septics, persecutors or some that believe in Christ yet follow their own way and think you are over the top with your “religion”.  

By the way-It isn’t religion it’s Christianity, following Christ- people made religion and follow and create their own agendas, protocol doctrines and rules, not just churches but any man made religion, false teachings or worship of things or idols.

 Jesus came to save us, not to create religion. 

Remember the one who saves.

To conclude, no matter what others think of you, stand tall, remember who you are in Christ and share your walk with others and show them that you have the love of Christ in you!

Shalom

Nancy

The Christian Writer

Dry & Desolate Land

A traveling experience can be a great experience to see what is happening in the world as it takes us out of our comfortable life. It’s an eye opener to what is really going on with different cultures and their perspective on God.

If you know the Word of God, you pick up on things that people don’t notice and it grabs your attention, such as shopping. Innocent eyes of shoppers glance past statues displayed of idol gods. Defenders of this would probably say that it’s for serenity or just part of the decor, as we know it’s these subtle things that get unsuspecting people to think it’s cool or inquire about it at a later time. It only goes to prove that the presence of God has been replaced by idol worship. People have turned from God to the satisfaction of their self desires as many turn to false gods or worship false man-made objects.

What does God tell us when these things happen? 

His ears will not listen when they call to Him in distress -Jeremiah 11:14 

Why is it so easy for people to believe false things and not believe the truth?  

Romans 1:25

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

This world has become a desolate dry place, people looking for water when they only find dry land. Jesus represents our water and food for our souls. But seeing all this right now confirms that the time is right for us to keep strong, march forward as the ways of man have fallen far from God. Those of us who follow God and His ways will be praying and listening more for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to know what to do as we direct people to Jesus. Always be ready for His return, don’t give up hope that is in Him!

I say to you, “Be ready at all times to give an answer for the truth that is placed in you”.

Hold fast and study brethren as the time is ripe for those who are seeking the truth. Trust the truth will set them free in this Dry and Desolate Land.

Shalom.

Nancy

The Christian Writer

#dry&desolateland  #Jesus

Step Back, Adjust Your View

Seeing things from a different perspective

Just recently I purchased a car with a back up camera, it’s a great feature and to know what’s right behind the back of my car that I can’t see. Although this is such an revolutionary idea, I still have to look around the sides and adjust my view, sometimes the camera can’t see everything. The same goes for photography, my grandson took a picture of the garden from his perspective, but if I took it from my view it would be very different. That’s the great thing about photography everybody has a different sense of an angle or depth of field, we adjust our way of looking at things, we adjust our view. ( I adjusted the size of the photo above) you can point the camera to to mountains and turn 360 degrees and take a water fall, it’s how we look at things and how we want to look at things.

Then there is my garden…

The deer have chewed our Hostas down to picks, I get it they love the salad garden we grow here at our house but I really get upset and would never cause any deer harm, so I changed my point of view from allowing them free reign to now spraying to keep them away, planting flowers they don’t like and just by changing our view and using the knowledge we have been given we are seeing the results!

In life, not only can we adjust our view by seeing, we can adjust by receiving and responding. We just have to step back and understand what’s really important to us, winning the fight or seeing the answer by someone else’s view. Pride can make you look only through a peephole, but let it go and see the whole bigger view that maybe you haven’t seen at all!    Step back, adjust your view.

Do you see yourself looking at things through one view or perspective?

The best solution for understanding comes through prayer, asking God for help, seeking Jesus in times of struggle and uncertainty and relying on that, trying to see things from God’s view!

Psalm 19:14 

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart

    be pleasing in your sight,

    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Please share

Shalom

Nancy

#Stepbackadjustyourview

#Jesus

#God

#perspective

 

 

 

A Simple Lenten Prayer

Lord, during this time of reflection, open my eyes to see the truth of Your presence in my life. It isn’t what I don’t have, but all the things that I do have that I forgot or ignored. I pray you keep me safe under your arms and guide me to the path that you have set before me. Help me to stay faithful even in my darkest days and help me to love and forgive those that have hurt or forgotten me. Jesus thank you for the grace that only you can give and for setting me free from the things that weren’t right, putting me on a new path and a new start ahead.

Praying all this in your precious Holy Name, Jesus

 

John 8:32

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 

Shalom, 

Nancy

The Challenges We Face

Here comes the New Year…again.

As we look ahead to the future, some of us have set some goals, others planned vacation, and maybe some are thinking about moving either to a new home or job. But as you think ahead, considering your plans do you see hope in that?

The hope we see is that maybe this year could be better than last year, hey maybe it was a great year, but when we look back did we see the challenges we faced?

Sometimes the challenges were fierce and hard to deal with, others were spiritual challenges with hard lessons about ourself or others. Maybe some of you had or are having physical challenges and you think no one truly understands or cares.

Hard to see but the challenges we face are very healthy for our soul, teaching us strength and endurance. Facing each challenge we can look back and see how God has worked in it. He may have brought you closer to Him or someone you know and or love. It may have taught, things aren’t always what they seem to be, having to learn patience and understand that we should look at what’s going on as a bigger picture, challenging us to look outward and not inwardly.

No doubt this year there will be challenges, some easier than others, some could be triumphs and some traumatizing but remember this, God is and will be with you, just put it in His hands and as you depend on Him more, the results and outcome will amaze you. Stop trying to figure it out all the time or control it. Trust God and His purpose for your life, look to Him for all your needs.

May you live in peace and good health during the year with God’s blessings, Nancy

2 Corinthians 13:11

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

 

 

 

Press on

2 Corinthians 4:8

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.

Many times when we feel as though there is no hope and see no end to what is happening as Paul says, press on. We have hope in Christ and that is where we set our goals. The things of this world will end for us all someday day but what hope is there in the things of this world? There is none.

There is only one hope and that is in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Far too many times we put our hope into the life we have and the people we know but that isn’t lasting, it’s Christ that fulfills the lasting things for your eternal life with Him.

In this way we can put our hope there and not foresee a bleak future but a glorious hope that is in Him.

Press on to that hope, press on to that place that Christ has led you to. For it is not flesh and blood that leads you to that hope but the Spirit of truth. The Spirit that sustains you in times of distress and hopelessness. But you see that God is the sustainer of all things and to only look to Him for all your hopes and needs. 

When all things feel bleak, press on

When the future holds nothing but pain, press on

When you think you are alone in this world, you have the Holy Spirit, press on

When those who do not want to accept your sharing the Lord’s gospel, press on

When people turn their back on you, the Lord does not, press on

When someone lies about you or judges you, the Lord knows the truth, press on

Philippians 3:13-15

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

 

Shalom

Nancy

 

#presson #Jesus #HolySpirit #Heaven #gospel #God

Do You See Results Of Prayer?

It’s not a coincidence that you are reading this today. You may be one of those that just don’t pray enough and think you should or if you pray you don’t seem to be getting the answer you think you should.

~Have you ever thought what would God want me to pray for?

~~Have you ever looked at this through God’s eyes?

Psalm 6:9

The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
    the Lord accepts my prayer.

He wants you to pray and wait for His timing in a specific situation, waiting for answers are not easy, we run out of patience but that’s where God works in us to give us patience and provide us time to see a situation and work towards an outcome that we may not understand right now but will be revealed at another time.

There are types of prayers as well. There is a prayer of thanksgiving for all that you have and all He has given and still will be giving to you in the future days.

Have you thought about the things that God has prevented from happening to you? Or the accident you just missed, a situation that you thought you would never see the light from, have you thanked Him and for that gift of protection from something bad happening to you?

God sees all things, He knows what’s happening in your life but you haven’t turned to Him in prayer and asked for His leading because you find yourself leading your own life and ignoring what He has given to you.

Believing that God is working in your life leads to persistent prayer and waiting.

1 Peter 1:17

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

 

To ignore God in any way doesn’t lead to good decisions in a life lived for self-gain or desires. But to seek God in everything sheds light on situations that you clearly thought there was no escape from, He leads you out into the green grass and gives you hope for a future and blesses you with gifts, but if you are too busy not to pray or call on Him for His help, you will continue to go down a blind path until one day he shows you that you need Him, desperately. A life lived without Him is not a life lived. It’s just living. So grab your coffee my friend and go read God’s word and see what he really does for you and you will pray to Him and seek Him more often. May the Lord bless you and keep you in His sight as you grow in your relationship with Him.

Mark 11:24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

 

 

Shalom

Nancy

 

#prayer

#God

#waiting

#Father

#thankfulness

#gifts

 

 

 

Who Is The Great Influencer In Your Life?

There are many people in this world that influence your; life, first it’s your parents or caregivers, maybe it’s a sibling or close relative.  It could be someone you look up to like a popular Movie Star or public speaker, maybe a motivator. All these people influence our lives on a daily basis. We want to be like them or look like them, people we probably want to look like or be. That could most likely how our lives get shaped. As you get older you’ve learned and grown and that person is no longer influencing your life so much any more. Maybe that person changed or did something you didn’t agree with, then they become less in your mind and the search continues!

I remember for years listening to a popular speaker his motivational style was quite amazing to me. He was the type of guy who would say ”no limits” – the walk through fire type. I have to admit I used to hang onto every word because I thought he was opening my mind to endless possibilities.

I was putting my trust in his philosophy and motivation. I even had my brother listening to his audio tracks.

As I grew older I realized that not everything he said worked for me, this person didn’t know me or my thoughts and furthermore I felt as though his motivation was selling more of his books and programs than pointing me to really knowing who it was that was truly the motivator.

I’m not saying that the person that has opened your mind to possibilities is wrong but were they really guiding you to the one who created you?

Goals and dreams are great to have, but who is the one that directs your path?

Proverbs 3:6

 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

Now I know there are people that are really doing great things in the world right now and we should always strive to do better in our lives but instead of looking up to them, why not look to who truly saved your soul?

Who is the ultimate hero of your life?

Jesus!

He is our motivator,

He is always with us,

He moves mountains no mere man can,

He loves us

He will never fail us in times of need.

                                That’s Christ who went to the cross for you and saved your life!

So as you think about who has influenced you through your life and were they lasting?

Were they there for you in every single aspect all the time?

                                                              Think…….

It is our Lord and Savior

Christ will never leave you or forsake you, look to Him to be the great influencer in your life!

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Shalom

Nancy

#influencer #JesusChrist #Lord #love #motivator #God

 

God Has Surely Listened

God Has Surely Listened

Psalm 66:16-20

Come and hear, all you who fear God;
    let me tell you what he has done for me.
 I cried out to him with my mouth;
    his praise was on my tongue.
 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened
    and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God,
    who has not rejected my prayer
    or withheld his love from me!

 

There are a lot of people out there that say there is no God. But when something tragic happens they say

“Why has God done this to me?”

Or they are on their deathbed and all their life proclaimed there is no God, suddenly they are crying out for God.

If we pay close attention to this Psalm that was written anonymously they were victorious in a battle. On the battlefield trusting God there knowing that He was in control and no matter what the outcome they feared and praised Him.

They knew if there was sin in their life that was not dealt with that the Lord would not hear their prayers. But as this psalmist has written God hears the prayers of those who go after Him.

 

Shalom

Nancy

 

 

#Psalm #psalm66 #God #Jesus #heart #love #sin